On March 8, we observe International Women's Day. This year's theme is "Press for Progress," and events around the world will celebrate women's advancements in the political, social and cultural arenas. But right here in the United States, women still face barriers to their financial progress. If you're a woman, you need to recognize these challenges – and respond to them.

So, what are the key obstacles to financial security for a woman? Probably the first thing that comes to mind is the gender wage gap: Women generally earn around 80 cents for every dollar men earn, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Community Health Programs has welcomed two new members to its board of trustees.

Nicole Antil and Gloria Escobar took their seats on the board of the countywide health care network in December, said Christopher Phillips, board chair.

Antil, a native of Morris County, N.J., is the owner of Antil Creative and chief creative officer for Graham-Pelton Consulting, a nonprofit fundraising and management consulting firm. A graduate of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, she is also a 2017 graduate of the Berkshire Leadership Program. She previously worked as a marketing and proposal manager for Maxymillian Technologies. She and her husband Peter live in Richmond with

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The union nurses at Berkshire Medical Center have called off next week's planned strike. After a late night of last-minute negotiations Thursday, the local Massachusetts Nurses Association chapter opted to withdraw the strike notice as contract negotiations have progressed. The nurses were planning on a one-day strike on Tuesday, which likely have been followed by a lockout. "We made enough progress to avert the strike scheduled for Tuesday and continue bargaining with the hospital," reads a notice from the local MNA to its membership. But, "we retain the right to re-issue another 10-day notice for a one-day strike

The full commission made the decision on Thursday. PITTSFIELD, Mass. — After 21 years with the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, Thomas Matuszko is poised to become the commission's next executive director. The commission chose Matuszko out of three finalists Thursday evening. The executive committee will now negotiate terms for employment with Matuszko for him to become just the third executive director since the commission was formed in 1967. "He has a number of strengths that would serve the agency well," said BRPC Senior Planner Lauren Gaherty, who represented the staff on the search committee. "He knows each community's

On a recent gloomy night I pondered weak and weary, not because I was necessarily weak or weary, but because I like the expression and it was time to make my Oscar picks, an annual tradition I abhor with no small amount of dread and disdain. All the same, I was determined that this year's choices would be the likes of which the world has never before seen. Believe me. They'd be so correct that people would be bored by them. I'm like a smart person. I went to the best schools. I make great deals. All I had to do was get a little help from the outside. It's all the rage, y'know? Thus it was quite fortuitous that, after channeling the modus operandi of New

If you were watching television this Thursday, you may have caught the launching of a low-orbit Spanish government-commissioned satellite launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The difference between today and 25 years ago is that it was a private company called Space X, rather than NASA, that made it happen. For old guys like me, space exploration was a big deal while growing up. Americans my age cheered and cried as the U.S. raced for space from the tragic death of the crew of Apollo One in 1967, to the first moon walk in 1969 (and no, I don't mean Michael Jackson). The work day would be put on pause as everyone watched the latest rocket launch from Cape

With all of the recent news on Berkshire Medical Center, the registered nurses' contract disputes and a looming second strike by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, we shouldn't be surprised that financial rating agencies have expressed concern for the future of our community hospital.

The costs of the union's demands and funding replacement nurses during the strike, combined with significant reimbursement changes, all have a negative impact on BMC. The community and the nurses' union must understand that we depend on Berkshire Health Systems to be healthy.

I am a North Berkshire resident and business owner, and I have seen up close what Berkshire Health

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Pediatrics Associates has joined the Community Health Programs health network as of Aug. 1, the latest private medical practice in the Berkshires to merge with the federally qualified health center organization. With the BPA merger, 12,000 new patients and 33 new employees will bring significant growth to the CHP health network, while CHP will bring administrative efficiencies and resources to the pediatric group. CHP Berkshire Pediatrics, as it will now be known, will remain in its present location at 777 North St. The Pittsfield practice includes Drs. Jacqueline Jones, Eimear O'Loughlin, Gary Shalan and Betsy Valade, and pediatric

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- North Adams Youth Basketball’s John Gaudreau Memorial Tournament was held Freb. 15-19 with 35 teams across four divisions competing at Colegrove Elementary School, Drury High School and the North Adams Armory. Seventy-two games were played and titles were awarded in four divisions: third- and fourth-grade girls, third- and fourth-grade boys, fifth- and sixth-grade boys and seventh- and eighth-grade boys. Third-and fourth-grade Girls (nine-team field) The Boys & Girls Club defeated Lenox, 19-10, to claim the title. Boys & Girls Club's road to the final: Beat Dalton in a play-in game, beat Adams in the first round, beat Greylock

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The Adams seventh- and eighth-grade boys travel team won its third consecutive tournament on Monday, defeating North Adams in the championship of the John Gaudreau Memorial Tournament by a score of 40-39. Adams started the tournament off by defeating Greylock by a score of 61 - 50. Carson Meczywor had 20 points and Kobe Valois 15 to lead the winners. Adams then defeated Housatonic, 59-57 in two overtimes. Adams came from 15 points down in the fourth quarter and tied the game on a Caleb Harrington 3-pointer. Adams also came back from a seven-point deficit in the second overtime to win it on two Carson Meczywor foul shots. Meczywor had 29 to pace the

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The National Weather Service is predicting a wintry mix of precipitation beginning by Thursday and continuing into Saturday. Tuesday and Wednesday were unseasonably warm and the temperature hit 76 on Main Street in North Adams in afternoon. It was a mini summer vacation day and a couple cafes dug out their outdoor seating, coats and scarfs were tossed to the side, and motorcycles pulled out of garages. All with inches of dirty snow still lining parking lots and roadways. It's all over by Thursday, though as temperatures are expected to drop back into the 30s (put away the tank tops and shorts for awhile.) There's potentical

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The MCLA men’s basketball team came into this year with just two conference wins in its last two season. Tuesday night, that was all in the rear view mirror. Freshman Noah Yearsley scored 19 points, and Pittsfield’s Keiland Cross had eight points and 12 rebounds in leading the Trailblazers to a 63-52 win over Framingham State in the quarter-finals of the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference tournament. Third-seeded MCLA (10-15) moves on to Thursday’s semi-finals at No. 2 Bridgewater State (16-9), which beat the Trailblazers by margins of 11 and 13 points in their regular season meetings. “This is